"Walter Maxwell" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 02:11:36 +0000 (UTC), "Reg Edwards"
wrote:

My phone number is 021-561-4959 and is unlikely to change. But what you
may
find as a result of a wecome call is anybody's guess.

I can well understand your interest in J.C.Maxwell's history. The Scots
family was not very large. It is fairly likely you have connections.
Should
you enquire further then, as perhaps you have already found, a google on
"Maxwell" is a good starting point. At the age of 13 he had already
established mimself as a budding genius. His professional career is well
documented.

Reg, I have several documents about JC, and at one point on the internet I
learned that his genealogy is available for viewing in the JCM museum,
which I
believe is in Edinburg, but not sure. My clan came from Glasgow, so there
may
be no connection.

But I can't resist the opportunity to add, it was Heaviside's self-taught
nathematics which taught the world how to understand radio waves in all
the
world's text books.

I'm well aware of Heaviside's contribution to organizing much of Maxwell's
work,
which wasn't suffuciently organized for general use. I have original
copies of a
3-volume set of Heaviside's books, plus an original copy of Hertz'
"Electric
Waves."

I think serious family research work would have to begin at home in the
States. A visit to Edinburgh would be more profitable than a vist to
London
during a holiday visit.

That's exactly what I thought.

Another visit to a high-class tailor whilst in Edinburgh on holiday would
eventually fit you up with a genuine Maxwell tartaned kilt. I expect you
know that a kilt is a heavy, pleated, woven skirt, with a sporan to
contain
your loose cash, under which is nothing in the way of clothing. Many
Scotsmen still wear them and not on ceremonial occsions. Furthermore,
Scotswomen are proud to be so accompanied.
----
Yours, Reg, G4FGQ

I have a copy of the Maxwell clan's tartan and coat of arms, but I don't
think
I'd get into a kilt.

Thanks for the welcome info, Reg,

Walt

Not to diminish Heaviside's contribution, it was Gibb's work that led to the
present mathematical expression of Maxwell's equations.
The Heaviside equation survives to this day as the description of the
electromagnetic field of a moving charged particle.
But since Gibbs was American I'm sure you Brits will argue.
;^)
73
H.
NQ5H